C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis

Born in Belfast on November 29, 1898, Clive Staples Lewis grew into a writer of remarkable range: novelist, literary scholar, essayist, and Christian apologist. He taught English literature at Oxford for many years and later held a chair at Cambridge, building a reputation both as a serious academic and as a writer who could speak to general readers with warmth and precision.

Many readers first meet him through The Chronicles of Narnia, the seven-book fantasy series that has delighted children and adults for generations. He is also well known for works such as The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity, books that helped make complex moral and spiritual questions approachable without losing their depth.

Lewis died on November 22, 1963. More than sixty years later, his books still stand out for their lively imagination, plainspoken intelligence, and ability to invite readers into wonder as well as reflection.